


Painful Mercy

by VioletTheirin



Category: Dragon Age
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-07
Updated: 2012-06-07
Packaged: 2017-11-07 05:46:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/427554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VioletTheirin/pseuds/VioletTheirin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Oneshot: Alistair struggles to comfort his wife as the signs of her calling become too clear to be able to be ignored. Full of angst and very dark with a not so happy ending.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Painful Mercy

A/N: I own nothing other than Violet's name, everything else I lovingly borrowed from David Gaider and the wonderful people of Bioware.  
________________________________________  
"Sleep my darling, I am here. I will let no harm come to you….sleep." Alistair held his love tightly against his chest. "I am here Violet, I shall always protect you."

"You can't have her, I will not let you! Maker, her time hasn't come yet." He pulled her closer. "Thirty years…we were supposed to have thirty years. It hasn't even been half that." A tear rolled down his cheek, landing upon Violet's raven hair.

Alistair knew about the calling, he knew they did not have an eternity. He even knew that thirty years was nothing definite, that it could be sooner, or later….but twelve years was all that was given to Violet.

Try as he might, Alistair could not deny the signs any longer. As time went by her dreams became more and more terrifying. As the terror increased it became more and more difficult to pull his love back into reality. Where once stood someone so strong and proud there was now a sad and hollow shell.

"It is talking to me Alistair; the dragon is wishing me to find him." He held her as she lay in the fetal position. "I don't want to go there Alistair, I don't want to see Ruck, I don't want to live with him and become so twisted and vile. Ruck suffered…Alistair, my love, my beloved I don't want to suffer. You can make this stop, you can end this…you have saved me before…don't let me become Ruck."

Alistair didn't speak a word. He did not know what to say.

"Or worse, become Hespith or Laryn. I don't want to be a broodmother, to give rise to the evil I gave my life to slay. I won't Alistair, don't make me. I don't want to be Hespith…I don't want to be Laryn." Violet rocked within his grasp.

"I will make this alright my love, I will make it stop. I will make the pain go away and silence the nightmares." Alistair whispered into her ear. "I promise."

"One drop is all that is needed, it tastes sweet and will cause no pain. Sleep will overcome her after a few moments and then she will be free." Zevran placed the vial into the hand of his friend as he looked down upon Violets pain stricken face. "You are doing her a mercy, let no one tell you otherwise."  
She could no longer speak. After a particularly bad nightmare she simply locked her mind, and Alistair could not break through. The once vibrant, beautiful, and charming Violet was no more….in her stead was a body…knees pulled to it's chest, forever rocking, forever staring but never seeing.  
One by one they came to see her, to bid farewell to their beloved leader. Any one of them would give their life if they thought it would bring her back, of that there is no doubt. But she was gone…

Sten stood in front of her his face stayed as stoic as it always had, but there was an unmistakable sadness in his eyes. He crossed his arms over his chest and as he bowed he whispered to her... "Kadan" … and he walked away.

Next came Oghren who, as normal, appeared to be slightly inebriated. He stood back for a moment, unable to believe that the woman who kept him in line for so many years had not even a glimmer of fight remaining in her eyes. The dwarf set a tankard down on the table in front of her bed and stepped back. Like Sten, Oghren bestowed upon her the customary cross armed bow. He then nodded at Alistair who lifted her mug and the dwarf toasted his commander. "I sodding salute you."

Shayle looked down upon Violet…"It is particularly squishy today, even as squishy things go. I must say however that it does much honor to it's race. A thousand pigeons shall be sacrificed in it's memory." With a nod the golem was gone.

With a trembling voice and tear soaked eyes the pretty bard sang. This was her friend, her confidant, her sister in arms…..hahren na melana sahlin… emma ir abelas…souver'inan isala hamin vhenan him dor'felas in uthenera na revas... vir sulahn'nehn… vir dirthera… vir samahl la numin…vir lath sa'vunin…Leiliana kissed her friend upon the cheek and was gone.

The elderly mage sat upon the bed and gently brushed away a lock of dark hair that had fallen over Violet's eye. "It will be over soon my child…no more pain, no more nightmares." Wynne hugged her tightly as a grandmother would her grandchild. "I shall see you again in The Fade, until then just know that you will be missed."

Morrigan approached the bed, and whispered as she held Violets slender hand in hers…"I will always love you and forever you shall remain in my heart." And as she walked away the witch turned to Violet and said "I shall miss you, sister."

Zevran knelt on the floor before Violet and placed a kiss upon her hand. "Oh my beautiful warden, How unfair it is that you should be taken so soon. I have not even begun to repay you for all that you did for me. You were my friend even though I was unworthy of your friendship, my savior when I thought myself to be beyond salvation. You had my heart from the moment I laid my eyes upon you and I say to you still that by your side I would willingly storm the gates of the Dark City itself…. Do not doubt it." The elf kissed his friend gently upon the cheek and whispered in her ear…. "Te Amo…." As he turned to leave Zevran stopped and shook Alistair's hand. "You are doing the right thing…"

"Thank you Zevran, for everything." Alistair whispered.

"You can call me Zev." The assassin smiled, patted Alistair on the shoulder, and walked out the door.

Fergus knelt down in front of his baby sister. He took her hands into his and through his tears managed to whisper. "I love you little sister, give my love to Mother and Father and tell Oriana and Oren that not a day goes by that I do not miss them; I will see you again soon" He then rushed out the door…unable to look back.

"The pain is going to stop…the nightmares are over my love." Alistair pulled the liquid into the dropper. "I love you with all of my heart Violet Cousland Theirin, and I will never leave your side." Alistair placed two drops of the liquid into Violet's mouth and laid her back onto the bed. As her eyes began to close her face relaxed back to it's normal state of absolute beauty. Alistair crawled into the bed beside her and gently kissed her lips. He then placed the dropper above his own mouth, squeezing the last of the liquid onto his tongue. As his eyelids began to feel heavy he pulled his beloved into his embrace one last time. It's almost over my love, no more nightmares." And with his final breath Alistair whispered…"I… promise…


End file.
